Internal Conflict
by Risingashes
Summary: AU Zuko and Katara search for the Avatar, Katara has to deal with split loyalties between her long forgotten family and the Fire Nation in which she was raised.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not for profit. Etc etc.

Influences are fairly obvious; once I get some more content up I'll work on my author notes. Peace out.

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The cold arctic winds blew relentlessly across the metal hull of the royal fire nation vessel. Katara sat with her legs over the sides soaking up the freezing whispers of her long forgotten youth. It had been over thirteen years since she had been here last.

The air was so different from the dry and humid breezes of the Fire Nation in which she was raised. Any memories that remained of these frozen lands were disconnected and vague, so close to the surface but unable to be seen in her mind's eye. The same harsh winds that cut at her fellow countrymen glided over her features, gently caressing her face as if trying to comfort her and welcome her home.

Behind closed eyes she heard the steady clang of approaching footsteps on the hard steel of the hull. The relaxed smile on her face shifts to a knowing grin. She recognises the rhythm, entitled and fierce.

"Nice weather we're having."

"I imagine you're going to continue taunting me as some kind of perverse revenge for never taking your whining about heat seriously."

"You speak in riddles your Majesty."

After a moments hesitation Prince Zuko seated himself beside his childhood friend, looking out over the barren frozen wasteland with a mild distaste.

"How anyone actually lives in this place is beyond me."

Katara's voice took on her standard high society tone, designed from a young age to mock her rigid and uptight tutors. "Silly barbarians, clearly unable to recognise the unquestionable superiority of long scorching days and humid nights." Katara's eyes were once again closed, her face alight with studied mischief.

The prince's face quickly hardened as he considered whether his friend's comments warranted allegations of treason- beside him Katara seemed to recognise that she had gone too far and quickly added "Well- soon enough we'll find the avatar, reclaim your honour and get back to the motherland in time for the new year's celebrations. Full of exploding fun, you fire benders love your exploding."

"Don't patronise me peasant." The prince had shifted out of his melancholy and in to a smile that could barely be seen by the untrained eye. Luckily enough Katara had long studied the restrained and hidden moods of the young prince.

"I would not dare to even dream of such a thing my liege." Ever since the banishment any comment that could be interpreted as criticism of the Fire Nation had caused violent outbursts from the prince. Katara comforted herself that his restraint showed at least some form of spiritual healing. She went back to letting the cool arctic winds sooth her nerves.

Zuko could see the peace on Katara's face, a serenity previously reserved for times when she was surrounded by the ocean, or a lake, or streams- the common theme as clear as day. But this seemed different, more intense- something beyond the joy of being emerged in ones element. Katara looked like she was home, it was worrying to the prince as it distanced her from him, made the fact that she was different all the more apparent.

Katara was not a firebender, she was not even born in the fire nation- she was a slave brought over because she could heal. She was brought up with the primary purpose of extending his own life. It was difficult to think of his childhood companion as a tool, raised from birth for him and him alone.

"You have your worry face on."

"I'm thinking..."

"Of?"

"The avatar."

Katara began to mock, her voice taking on an overdramatic flare. "You and your avatar, it's always avatar this- avatar that- by Agni-"

"Funny."

Katara turned to look at the prince. "Your uncle would be most cross with me for enabling your moods. Here we are at the South Pole where only a handful of firebenders have been brave enough..."

"Crazy enough..."

"...to go- and you're moping around yet again."

"I'm not moping." The prince taking on a petulant tone, and crossing his arms. Katara's smile beamed.

--- --- --- --- ---

_Katara!_

As her eyes fly open, the first thing she notices is the sharp snow and biting wind. Katara is stuck between the ripping cold of the floor that her body is pressed in to and the slicing fierceness of the wind when she attempts to lift herself up.

Instinct takes over and she desperately scrambles for a nearby snowbank. Using the wall to shield herself she bends the surrounding area in to a thick snowhut. Despite the respite from the wind she is still chilled to the bone. In the back of her mind she can't help but think that this is in some way a cruel cosmic joke in retribution for her earlier taunting at the expense of her fireblooded compatriots. At the more active frontal part of her brain- all she is thinking is that she hates the cold, hates it so much and she will never complain about hot summer nights ever- ever again.

--- --- --- --- ---

_The fire nation vessel is being tossed and turned by the violent waves of the storm, lightning crashing all around. __Katara__ stands in the centre of the __ship's__ hull, face strained in determination as she moves in graceful strokes- pushing the waves away with all her might. Prince __Zuko__and the crew stand in a loose circle su__rrounding her, throwing __firebolt__s__ at__ the thick ice that stands in their path- each attempt weaker than the last._

_A __particularly__ vicious wave hits the stern side of the vessel sending it violently against a nearby wall of ice and snow. The sky itself falls in on the ship, a deadly avalanche __of white__. T__he benders and the ship's crew all scatter as quickly as they can__in any __direction- desperately trying to escape_

_Katara!_

Her eyes drift slowly open, and all she can see is white. Katara is cold, but not frozen- she gives silent thanks to whatever god would take recognition for the survival of a waterwoman living under the rule of the sun nation. Perhaps the earth spirit, variety is the spice of life after all.

A swift gliding of her palms opens her snow cacoon, allowing the morning sun to stream in. The air is strangely calm- for the first time since her arrival there was no wind at all- something that was both welcome and saddening to the waterbender.

"Halt! Who goes there? Raise your hands slowly." The voice came out of nowhere, the tone a strange combination of false bravado and relentless determination.

Katara turned around to see a teenager holding a crude hammer as if it were a two handed broadsword. His clothing reminded her early years, long forgotten.

"Kessa? What are you... where did you get those clothes?"

Katara raised both eyebrows in confusion and looked down at her clothes. Red and black shirt, with black pants- standard fire nation. In that moment the name the boy had called her finally struck her. Clearer memories of her childhood rushed back to her. In her mind's eye Katara saw her twin sister, and her big brother and knew who it was that stood before her.

"Sokka." The boys face scrunched up, obviously trying to figure out what kind of game his sister was playing on him and how to regain the upper hand that he was quickly beginning to think he had lost. An instant later his expression faded, replaced by neutrality and then slight cautiousness. Katara stiffened, her shoulders tensed.

"Katara?" it came out as a near whisper, like it was almost too absurd to be true. Suddenly the boy was sprinting towards her, Katara flinched- unsure of what to do and unable to clearly think of how to defend herself. She tried to remember her stances, her moves- years of training and she couldn't even remember a simple barrier formation.

Sokka grabbed his sister with both arms and crushed her in to a hug. Katara's body was rigid- awaiting death, but melted quickly as her instincts left her. Living in the fire nation had moulded Katara in to a being of strict custom and distanced respect- all physical contact being the result combat only. She readily forgot herself and reverted to the four year old girl who wanted nothing more than to be held by her family and told that everything would be all right- that everything would be okay.

Someone was crying, it might have been her.

--- --- --- --- ---

The small ice village came in to view as Katara and her brother came over the ridge. There were so few huts, and the ice walls that surrounded the village were worn- with small holes littering the perimeter.

As the pair approached they were greeted by the wary eyes of the villagers. The presence of Katara's red uniform seemed to frighten some of the younger children. Coming forward from the crowd was the mirror image of Katara, dressed in flowing blue.

"Kessa."

"Well- look what the walrus-cat dragged in." Kessa's voice was full of a wistful disbelief.

"I'd prefer polarbear-cat, thank you very much- walrus-cat gives the wrong impression" Sokka added.

"I thought you were dead." At this Katara furrowed her brow.

"Why would you think that?" It was Kessa's turn at brow furrowing, her arms came to rest on Katara's shoulders.

"We just assumed that the Fire Nation would have killed all the water benders once the treaty was broken."

Katara jerked out of her sister's hold. "When the what was what?!"

--- --- --- --- ---

Katara was fairly certain that she should be very angry. Her problem was that she just couldn't seem to pick an adequate target.

She was angry at her teachers for wasting hours upon hours of her life, to an even greater extent than what she originally expected, via endless history lessons that had apparently been as much fantasy as they were truth.

She was angry at her adapted father who had deviously made her aware that the Fire Nation might not be as bright and shiny as it would like to appear but had failed to artfully imply the extent. The joy that he would have gotten having seen her face somewhat distracted her from her fuming, Iroh's jolliness was counterproductive when one wanted to be bitter.

And she was angry at Zuko who had obviously led her all over the rest of the world so as to avoid, for as long as possible, risking the possibility that she may be confronted with the fact that her birthplace was currently at war with the country in which she was raised. Katara sometimes wondered what it would be like if acts of kindness for loved ones didn't involve blatantly manipulating them.

"Are you okay?" Kessa stood in the doorway of the igloo, leaning slightly and clutching her arm in an unconscious act of nervousness.

"I think it'll be a while before I'm able to process a lot of this."

"We missed you, we thought you were dead but we missed you all the same."

"We did- did we?"

"I missed you." Katara's face beamed at the revelation, despite having already assumed it- the words were nice to hear.

"...I forgot you all existed."

"Well that kind of wrecked the moment." Kessa's tone was half playful, with a touch of hurt.

"I just... I didn't mean it like that. I had my own family..." Katara's mind slipped into deep thought, family wasn't something she really thought about often. Despite not sharing blood she did think of Iroh as her father, Zuko as her... for all the leers and bitterness of some residents of the Fire Nation Katara had never felt wanting for closeness.

Even Azula acknowledged her existence after Katara pinned her to the wall with jagged icicles- out of the watchful eyes of any who might dob her in. Katara almost missed her arrogant slanty smile full of denigration with a hint of grudging respect, her brain must have been injured in the fall- no other explanation made sense.

Kessa's face had shifted towards wariness. "Sorry drifted off for a minute there. What I meant was that I wasn't over there in a fiery cell being hog-whipped praying to be returned home. I was happy."

"Oh." Kessa was looking increasingly closed off, Katara quickly assumed that nearly everything she just said had been in the wrong format or form. She'd need to work on her reassurances. Katara slipped on one of her sisters outfits, coloured a lighter blue and slimmer than the one currently worn by her sister. She realised that she had unconsciously picked the outfit best suited to fighting, and least suited to arctic warmth. While Katara was far better suited to the cold than her firebending friends she still made a dismal arctic survivalist when compared to her tribesmen.

An implacable bout of sadness settled upon Katara's shoulders, her emotions had begun to annoy her- she was far more used to subtle machinations and wary neutrality. Now she had to deal with emotions that came from nowhere and were as such impossible to press down- or even to deal with.

"I just don't want you guys to feel guilty- for leaving me over there. I'm strong- I had to be. I don't hold it..."

Kessa had wandered off, Katara's hand wandered up to the necklace that hung around her neck. The dark blue of her mother's betrothal necklace suited her new outfit, it had always looked out of place in a nation seemingly filled with nothing but red.

--- --- --- --- ---

_"By the terms of the treaty of __Tiansha__ we shall be selecting a proportion of your __waterbenders__ to accompany us back to the Fire Nation. We thank you all for your cooperation."_

_The Fire Nation soldier rerolled the scroll that he was reading from and marched away. Behind him a large man with receding hair was being approached by a thinner man with a child clutched to his back leg partially hidden by his uniform._

_"Captain __Ji__ have you identified the child __prophesised__ by the seers?"_

_"Yes __General__, here she is."__ The child __popped__ her head from behind the Captain, staring up to the larger man's face with wide eyes._

_"She fits the description?"_

_"Yes General __Iroh__, she has a__n__identical __twin with no ability to __waterbend__."_

_The large __man,__ crouched down to meet the child's eyes. "__Hello there-__don't__ be afraid. What's your name?"_

_The general's smile seemed to calm the child. __"__Katara__."_

_"A lovely name for a lovely little girl.__Katara__, we need to go to a place far __far__ away, but only the bravest and smartest people can go with us. You need to be brave __Katara__, brave like I know you are, because the place we are going is a wonderful place, full of green trees and flowing streams and when we get there I will get you the best and most rare tea in the whole world- __Jasmin__. Can you be brave __Katara__?"_

_"-__Jas__s__min__?"_

--- --- --- --- ---_  
_

"...But the Fire Duke could not accept this, for he loved his betrothed with all his heart. And so the Duke said unto the dragon, 'No! Spirit- you shall not take her from me. If I must then I shall relinquish..."

"What's relinckwish?"

"Give up- no interrupting- this is the best part. 'I shall relinquish my title, and you shall have my province to do with as you please.' And on these words Lady Frina wept for to give up his power was to betray the people he was duty bound to protect-the worst of all sins. And for his selfishness the Fire Duke was set aflame..."

"I'm not sure this is age appropriate Katara."

"It has good morals and values. It's dripping with good morals and values."

"Monarchistic values by the sounds Katara." Sokka seemed to be both sympathetic and mocking at the same time.

"I give up, run along youngins..." Katara pulled in close and half whispered. "Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Picked up a word or two since I was six-little sister."

"Yeah well..." Something seemed to pull Katara down, her shoulders slumping forward with her sentence falling off in to nothingness.

"So what was the end of your little dragon tale anyway?"

"Oh- Lady marries the prince who loves his country more than personal interests, dukedom is abolished and the royal line is given absolute power, everyone is happy, original guy burns for eternity in the sun."

"... How did the guy get in to the sun?"

"Dragon." As if that was an answer.

"Right... I think we'll need to teach you some more watertribe focused tales- less with the burning."

Sokka's eyes were purposefully not trying to bore in to Katara's skull, unfortunately the attempts only served to intensify the feeling for Katara who had spent a lifetime paying attention to only that which wasn't said, ignoring the fancy false niceties of royalty and the rich.

It had been going on for a while now, ever since Katara had explained the imminent presence of the Fire Nation ship which bore her to the icy shores of her birth. At first she thought it was fear of imminent attack, but such fears should be openly displayed and queries about her presence and being spared would be the first on people's minds. But no questions came- in fact the entire topic seemed to be purposefully avoided.

They were hiding something important from her, something that seemed to negate the need for reassurance. The problem was she couldn't really think of what it would be. Tired of the cat and mouse Katara decided to simply broach the subject herself hoping to, at best, wriggle some small trinket of information free that could better clue her in as to what was really going on.

"The ship will likely be here before tomorrow. It is very unlikely that it was sunk."

"We're at war Katara."

"You don't have any warriors." Katara only realised the slip a second after the words tumbled out of her mouth."

"No warriors..."

"I didn't mean... Sokka they aren't going to attack a village full of women, children and the elderly."

"Not with you here." Sokka's voice was cold, and dark but would be easily confused with nonchalant to anyone not paying close attention.

"Not anytime." Katara's tone allowed for no argument.

"You don't need to worry about us Katara, I'll defend this village with my life but I wouldn't throw it away when we've been handed a living breathing ceasefire."

" 'Living breathing ceasefire'- I've been called worse things."

--- --- --- --- ---

Katara noticed the pattern quickly enough, Sokka and Kessa were alternating shifts, running off somewhere else when not with her. Where ever they were going was outside of the village. At nightfall Katara turned in early and snuck out by using bending to give her temporary residence a back entrance.

Using sneaky skills- well honed by childhood raids on kitchens and gardens for moontime waterbending practice, Katara quietly followed her brother as he warily exited the camp and headed to whatever secret the camp had been keeping from her.

Sokka eventually came upon a cave mouth in the side of a large mountain of ice and snow- walking inside to the juicy secrets within. Katara's mind raced with the millions of possibilities, and was hoping for golden treasure- despite golden treasure stashed in an arctic ice-cave making no sense.

When she stood peeking in to the cave she saw her brother and twin sister, talking to a small boy with a shaved head and a gigantic polarbear-cat, or polarbear-lion, or flying bison... lying down in the cave was a flying bison- a supposably extinct companion to the Air Nomads.

All the pieces clicked in to place, Katara realised why this had been kept from her. The avatar was here in the arctic- and he had a son.

Instantly Katara spun around, certain that the avatar would be standing right behind her- waiting to strike. Her legs locked in to a lower bow position to add strength and swiftness to her attacks, her hands snapped forward and outwards causing the surrounding snow to blast both frontwards and sideways hurtling into a twirling cloud of icy destruction- but nothing was there.

"I spent two hours training lookouts, no one pays attention to me anymore." Sokka's tone is oddly uninterested for someone suddenly caught out.

"You knew I'd come." Katara said it almost unconsciously.

"You used to follow me everywhere, almost got eaten by a seal-cat once. I had a hunch."

The bald monk had somehow walked up to Katara without her realising. After asking a question of Sokka with his eyes, and receiving the answer that he seemed to of already assumed, his face was set in an overly large smile. "Hi- I'm Aang."

--- --- --- --- ---

Several minutes later the four teenagers had spread themselves out around the cave. Sokka and Kessa had taken seats on the floor, while Katara had drifted closer to the bison and was now gently reaching for its fur.

"It's okay- Appa won't bite." The monk had appeared at Katara's side again. Katara was beginning to understand the cryptic writings about the skills of air nomads. She was unsure whether the tricks were unnerving or impressive but the monks bright and bubbly attitude was quickly winning her over.

"So I assume from the tattoos that you're the Avatar?"

"Yep."

"You're a teenager."

"Frozen in a block of ice."

Katara eyed him strangely but Aang just smiled even harder. "Oh..."

"Why would the tattoos prove that I'm the avatar? All air nomads are given the same tattoos."

Katara only just realised the severity of the situation. She was about to tell someone even younger than herself that their entire race had been wiped out. "It's just that I assumed you were the son of the avatar. And hiding down in the South Pole would pretty much limit the availability of tattoo equipment."

"Hiding... because of the war. It's still new to me, can't really get my head around it. The last thing I remember was the Earth and Fire nations stopping travel between each other. I had to cancel a trip to visit my friend Kuzan in the Fire Nation."

Katara's neutral expression hid the ache that she felt for the boy. Very much disliking the cutting emotions that she was feeling- her first instinct was to attack. "So I suppose it was a good idea to keep this from me. We wouldn't want the enemy to know the avatar's location after all."

"That pretty much sums it up nicely." Kessa's tone was bitter and harsh, Katara had clearly misjudged how badly she had handled the reunion when it came to her sister.

"Kessa." Sokka chided his sister. "Katara we don't think that, we know you're not the enemy. But we knew that the Fire Nation was on our doorstep, and we were.. are confused about what to do. The less you knew the fewer complications there would be when they arrived."

"I know Sokka. I'm just..." Katara stared at the ground near her sister. Kessa had stormed away to the side of the cave and was absentmindedly playing with some snow near her feat. Playing with some snow without touching it. Kessa- her twin sister was waterbending.

Katara's face fully displayed the shock and rage that bubbled inside her. "Katara? Katara- what's wrong?"

Her feet slipped outwards, going in to a balanced stance. As her hands flowed around her the snow rose up, and then condensed in to sharp spikes of ice. With a frontal thrust the spikes hurtled towards Kessa. Aang quickly blasted them out of their path. Everyone just stood in place unsure as to what to do next.

"Are you insane?" Kessa spat the words.

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought that since you're a waterbender now you wouldn't mind a bit of ice being thrown around." Katara's imitation of Azula would have made anyone that knew the two of them very uneasy.

"What does Kessa being a waterbender have anything to do with anything?" Sokka was clearly holding himself back from making the situation worse.

"Half of twain... never mind."

"Never mind? Never mind- you tried to kill Kessa- Katara!"

Katara was wandering to the front of the cave. She saw the snow, the telltale signs. The black fog. She looked out the cave entrance and saw the smoking stacks of the Blue Dragon- Prince Zuko's private vessel of in the distance. It stood still with its bridge lowered upon the walls of the watertribe town. Unseen by all, peering through the thick black fog, Katara smiled.

With a swift twirl Katara made a block of ice to surround her feet and began racing towards the village. After a moment her siblings followed as quickly as they could, Kessa was throwing warnings and barbs telling Katara that revealing the location of the avatar would result in her imminent demise- Sokka remained strangely quiet unsure what to think- overwhelmed.

Katara pushed through the villagers, skidded to a halt in front of the approaching prince and his entourage. The men quickly moved to protect their prince, only at the last minute realising who it was that was hurtling towards them.

As she approached the prince's face showed signs indicating a deep relief- they had likely thought that she was dead. Katara and Prince Zuko exchanged a formal bow, the solemn intimacy would be lost on the watertribe but was very much appreciated by those raised in the fire nation.

"I thought you were dead." Zuko stated as if a simple fact.

"You should know that I cannot be gotten rid of so easily Prince Zuko."

"I should of. These are your people I assume?"

"They are the tribe into which I was born."

"You're likely annoyed then, treaties and such."

"Somewhat, but the joy of seeing the ship again makes up for it."

"The ship..."

"All my clothes are on it."

"Peasantwear suits you."

"And he wonders why I only miss the ship."

"Do they know anything about the avatar?"

Katara turned around to see her brother and sister shifting quickly to the front of the crowd. She turned back to the prince with a smile on her face. "I have more than anything, I have a location."

--- --- --- --- ---

_"You are a very special girl __Katara__- for many reasons- most of all because you are like a daughter to me- but also because you have a destiny."_

_"What's a destiny papa __Iroh__?"_

_"Well- a destiny is something only truly special people have. A destiny is something that is going to happen that will help a whole lot of people."_

_"Do you have a destiny papa __Iroh__?"_

_"No__-__ but..."_

_"But you help a lot of people, you're a hero."_

_"Yes, but you don't need a destiny to help people __Katara__However__ people with destinies have a responsibility to be strong, to be all that they can be."_

_"And I have a destiny papa __Iroh__?"_

_"Yes my dear. The seers told us a long time ago that a girl would be born in a place very __very__ far away, do you __remember__ where you were born __Katara__?"_

_"No."_

_"It was a very cold place, full of __ice__ and snow."_

_"Whiteland, I see it in my dreams. __So much white."_

_"Yes, full of white. And the seers told us that we had to bring __this girl to the fire nation, because it was a part of her destiny to bring happiness and __prosperity__ to all the people of the__ F__ire__ N__ation."_

_"And I'm that girl?"_

_"Yes __Katara__, you are."_

_"Why?"_

_"..__Why?"_

_"__How do you know- was I the only girl in __whiteland__?"_

_"Well no- the seers told us that the girl would be an identical twin, the only one that could __waterbend__. And you were the only twin in the whole of the faraway place, and you were the one who could __waterbend__."_

_"...__Papa __Iroh__ does destiny mean I need to leave?"_

_"Of course not __Katara__, you can stay with me for as long as you want to."_

_"I want to stay forever."_

_"And what about when you want to marry?"_

_"__Ew__, never- __boys are icky."_

--- --- --- --- ---_  
_

Prince Zuko's face contorted in a strange way afterwards, acceptable responses would be a proud smirk, an ecstatic 'wha-hoo', a gleaming smile, an 'I told you so' roundhouse grin to the crew- but instead the prince's face showed a partial relief- the expression made no sense to Katara who being a master of Zuko interpretation could not for the life of her figure out what the expression meant. Without any mental guidance or outside help her only course of action was to continue on with her original plan.

"The Avatar had been trapped here for 100 years in a block of ice. He left on a flying bison heading towards the northern air temple where he was raised- apparently there is an artefact there that he needs for his training."

"Northern Air Temple, quite a treck."

"Yes, but he is flying a gigantic white bison through the air, tracking him once we arrive shall be easy. We may even catch him before he even arrives- he will have no idea we are following him."

"You will always be my friend Katara."

"I... and I yours my Lord... but I don't..."

"I just need to say a few words and we will be on our way."

"Of course."

Prince Zuko took three strides forward, letting his cloak fall down- the wind carrying it away in to the icy oblivion. "People of the south, the location of the Avatar has become known to me-" the village gasped collectively, the faces of her siblings made Katara feel inwardly ill- but she knew the ruse was essential. "I mean this village no harm, but I need the Avatar to leave the cave that he is hiding in- and surrender himself to me." Katara's eyes flew wide open, her neck nearly snapped as it was fiercely jerked towards where Prince Zuko was standing. "Aim for the homes, avoid killing if possible."

At his words the entourage stepped forward and started firing at the village, explosions began to ring out across the small village- ice flew through the air. Prince Zuko walked past the soldiers and up to Katara- the waterbender was dazed and confused- looking frantic. "I..."

"It's okay- It's okay." Katara looked deep in to Zuko's eyes as the world seemed to slip away. There was so much conflict within her- nothing made sense- he couldn't have known- she didn't tell him- she didn't. She was brought back to reality as a white cloud of snow burst across the hills and towards the village. The airbender caught the group of Fire Nation soldiers by surprise and knocked the entire group down in one go.

"Hi." Aang had a way with words.

"Truth mixed with lies." Zuko muttered- clearly not meaning the words to be heard. "You are the avatar? The greatest threat to the Fire Nation is a child?"

"Leave now and you'll be spared my wrath." The words sounded thoroughly unconvincing coming from the boy.

"The avatar is only a threat when they have mastered all four elements, which takes decades. No- you are a simple airbender- avatar or not."

"Worth a try."

"If you come with me I will do no further harm to this village- resist and they will not be so lucky."

Aang looked back at the villagers. "I'll come."

As the fire nation soldiers took Aang by the arms, Kessa ran from the crowd. "Aang no!"

"I'll be okay." Aang almost sounded like he was telling the truth. Katara turned to walk away as Kessa's accusing face turned towards her with a glare.

The Blue Dragon retracted its boarding platform, and began to push out- back to the ocean.

--- --- --- --- ---

The cold arctic winds blew gently across the metal hull of the royal fire nation vessel. Katara sat with her legs over the sides purposefully ignoring the town where she was born as it disappeared behind her.

Behind closed eyes she heard the steady clang of approaching footsteps on the hard steel of the hull. The small frown on her face shifts in to a resigned smile. She knows without looking.

"Been awhile."

"To be honest loyalty to siblings is a foreign concept to me, but I'd decided not to hold it against you even if it had impaired your judgement."

"Spotted by lookouts?"

"Large flying white things in the sky tend to be seen- even by overtired and uninterested helmsmen."

"I'm sorry. I don't..."

As Prince Zuko knelt in order to sit down besides Katara a large crashing sound could be heard from behind them. The avatar rushed out at an amazing speed and with a swift twirl of a stick began to soar up in to the sky. Zuko cracked his hands downwards creating wisps of fire from each hand, and bringing them up and then down0- lashed out with long chains of fire towards the avatar. Using his flying stick to ward off the flames caused Aang to plunge back toward the ship- as he landed the contraption slid out of his reach.

As the avatar and Zuko battled, air against fire, Katara stood frozen near where she had been sitting. Her face hardened as she turned towards the water rushing past the ship and, assuming a stance and raising her arms, she commanded the sea below to rise up and swirl around her head ready for attack.

With a glance towards Zuko she saw the prince's attacks push the avatar to the ground. The avatar used his position to blast Zuko with air, throwing the prince towards the side, and used the distraction to rush to his flying stick. Katara used the water to grab the avatar's leg as he began to fly off, reeling him further and further back towards the ship.

Katara saw Zuko struggling to hold on to the icy sides of the ship. The waterwhip turned to ice and Katara flung the avatar in to the waves. She raced to the side to help the prince up. She didn't realise the glaring light that had appeared at the front of the ship until the waterspirals hit the ice embankments of the pass that the ship was going through that stood tall on both sides.

For the second time the sky was filled with ice and snow- an avalanche of white. "Oh- come- on..." All Katara could see was blue.

The avatar soared swiftly away on his flying bison.

--- --- --- --- ---

"Half of twain, blessed with control like no other, a girl shall bless her country with a golden age. Burdened by two- destiny fades- until only one path remains."  
-Insane Vague Ramblings

--- --- --- --- ---

"Zuko..."

"Yes Katara."

"Ow." At this Prince Zuko tried in vain to hide a laugh.

"How long was I out?"

"A few hours- completely missed your chance at sympathy. You need at least a few days before that starts kicking in."

"Prince Zuko?"

"Yes?"

"The avatar cheated."

"I know, don't worry about it- my destiny is to catch the avatar."

"Sometimes destiny isn't all it's cracked up to be." Katara closed her eyes, all she could see was black.

--- --- --- --- ---


	2. Chapter 2

"People of Keyoshi- you will tell me where the Avatar is heading or your captured friend shall suffer the consequences."

Prince Zuko stood in the middle of the town, surrounded by villagers and fire nation troops. With one hand he held the waterbender around her torso, her light blue kimono waving in the wind and tears rolling down her cheeks. With his other hand the fire prince held a small burning flame to her neck, so close that the skin was beginning to burn and crack. The girl let out soft whimpers due to the pain.

"So be it!" The Prince visibly tensed his shoulders, ready to plunge the flame deep into the girl's neck.

"Wait! Omashu, they said they were headed to Omashu." One of the men from the crowd stepped forward, a man with daughters at home.

"Why?" The Prince's tone demanded respect, to even think of refusing him was inconceivable.

The girl slipped gracefully out of the Prince's heavy hold, straightening her outfit with one hand while gently comforting her charred flesh with the other. "Likely in search of an earth bending teacher- we assumed they would learn waterbending first but sometimes what's easiest is what's best." Water floated up from a satchel at the girl's waist, turning a bright blue when it reached the burnt skin.

"Kessa!? What are you... why are you doing this?" The Keyoshi warrior that stepped forward was a leader, it could be seen in her tone- in the way she spoke.

"Well I'm a traitor. And now I'm going back to the Avatar, to sow my evil seeds. And next time you see me- you wont be able to do a damn thing about it, because they wont believe you. So... I'll see you later- my friend." The fire nation entourage began to walk away, they had gotten the information they had come for.

-----------------------------------

"Katara was that really necessary?"

"Don't be such a spoil sport. 'Confusion is the greatest weapon in any General's arsenal' Prince Zuko."

"Don't quote uncle, I already have to listen to one of him."

"What are we going to do about Omashu? We can't exactly walk in to a Earth Nation major city."

"The avatar wont learn earthbending first, earth is the opposing element to air, so they will be leaving soon after they arrive. What we need is for us to pick the way they head after they leave."

" 'The kindly stranger'." Zuko and Katara wore matching sly grins.

-----------------------------------

"Just because someone is nice doesn't mean you need to be suspicious Sokka." Kessa's voice was strained, like the conversation had already been going on for hours.

"When people conveniently have maps for convenient routes to places we just so happen to be heading- well suspicion was invented for just such an occasion." Sokka was using his 'I know better' voice.

"The avatar is the last great hope for the world; people generally want to help someone who is destined to bring peace, happiness and goodwill to all men. Not everyone is an evil twofaced doublecrossing warmonger." Sokka went silent, his eyes drifting off in to the distance.

"She sure has you down." Prince Zuko emerged from the nearby bushes, quickly dismounting from a fire nation attack rhino. Behind him sat Katara, wearing a deep red and black army uniform.

"My prince, could you not agree with the enemy. Shows disunity."

"...Enemy." Sokka muttered the word under his breath, only Aang was close enough to hear.

"How did you find us?" Aang's voice quickly took on the distinct 'about to fight' tone that was so different from his usual happy cheer.

"We drew the map." Prince Zuko's voice had taken on a jovial glint usually reserved for private.

"Ha! Told you." Sokka had quickly forgotten the pain of seeing his sister on the opposite side of the battlefield for the chance to claim the small victory of being right.

"Not now Sokka." Kessa was staring daggers at her sister across the campsite.

Katara uncorked the satchel at her side and with an audible half grunt, half scream, flung her watery projectile across the clearing. Less than halfway to its target the water seemed to lose focus and splashed awkwardly in to the grass below. Both sides took half a second to furrow their brows and look around randomly- all unsure about what just happened.

The prince dashed forward past Katara and towards the avatar. Aang also leaped in to action, hurtling towards Zuko his glider clutched in one hand. The two engaged each other, equally matched. Either Zuko's attacks were deflected or the airbender used his superior agility to avoid attack completely. The prince's attacks became increasingly enraged and powerful.

"Katara, I don't want to fight you." Sokka held his club with both hands, ready to attack if required.

The rogue waterbender was making increasingly desperate attempts to rip the water from the ground, despite her effort the water rose and fell without gaining enough form for her to actually command. Katara performed a diagonal roll, narrowly being missed by a small barrage of ice shards.

Katara saw Kessa standing near the camp's supplies, preparing to send another wave towards her. Katara executed another roll toward her brother, and with a swift palm to his torso sent him flying backwards. She caught his mishandled club midair and used it to deflect the next onslaught. The fact that the attack, that should be next to useless, was giving her trouble enraged Katara. Her emotions clouded her sight- the world dropped away and all she could see was her sister getting closer and closer as Katara advanced upon her.

Aang sent a strong airblast across the field that knocked Katara away, distracting Prince Zuko enough to allow the Avatar to land a double hit that sent the prince flying across the field.

The gang ran for Appa- flying away without seeing Katara's last ditch effort to bend a nearby river in an attempt to knock them from the air, the water splashed uselessly to the ground without even going two feet.

All Katara could do was stand there and stare as the sky bison glided gracefully away.

"What the hell was that Katara?" Zuko was fuming, his face had turned a bright shade of red.

Katara was staring down at her hands, asking them questions with her eyes- receiving no answers. "I don't... I don't know."

"You are my soldier- mine! I thought we got past your problems weeks ago."

"I didn't let them win Zuko. How can you even think that?"

"Then what was that?"

"I don't know! I just... screw you Prince Zuko."

"Come back here Katara, this isn't finished. Do you hear me?!"

-----------------------------------

Back on the Blue Dragon Katara sat alone in her steel room. The room had a minimalist tone, without visible personal effects of any kind. The few pieces of furniture blended seamlessly in to the cold browning steel of the ship's hull. The room was that of a faceless warrior, devoid of feeling or passion.

However inside the closets and drawers, that were tucked away in corners, lay hidden caches of colour and light. Necklaces and jewellery from across the world, objects filled with memories from a home long missed, trinkets to remember the many people left behind. Katara loved her room because it suited whatever purpose she needed it to- cold and clean or personal and touching. She had learned long ago that it was best to compartmentalise, it allowed you to exceed limitations- to achieve your all.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not." Katara's voice was calm and even.

"Fine- just tell me what happened today."

"I had a bad day Prince Zuko- it happens."

"Not to you."

"I've had plenty of bad days."

"This has been going on since the south pole."

Katara let out an audible sigh. "Uncle told you- so much for secrets."

"I would have noticed on my own." At this Katara gained a small smile, as if amused by the inane ramblings of a small child that couldn't know any better. She wanted nothing more than to cup the prince's face in her hands, to rub her thumb across his cheek and drop away into a time where affection for him wasn't tainted by bitterness or betrayal. The urge came and passed without action.

"I suppose it makes it easier. I will need to go off on my own for a short while, to find guidance. I need to know what to do to fix this."

"This is ridiculous. Destiny is what we make of it."

"I will be heading off tomorrow, I should be back within a few days."

-----------------------------------

"It's not her anymore." Sokka's word cracked the silence that had settled across the campsite.

Kessa stared at her brother, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"That's the way I have to look at it- the four year old girl that I knew is dead- has been dead for years. It shouldn't be hard, we thought she had died years ago already."

"It's likely for the best. No one can think clearly with mixed loyalties." Kessa's words were soft with sympathy, the reappearance of the lost twin had caused a strong rift between the remaining siblings. The pair had relied on one another for a long time- since their father went to war and left them alone.

"You don't remember her do you?"

"...No, I suppose I don't."

Sokka turned his head and closed his eyes- as if willing sleep to come. "You would have liked her- she was so strong and brave, even when so young."

Behind him, unseen, Kessa narrowed her eyes.

Sokka continued on, unaware of his sister's mood. "What do you think happened to her waterbending? When she was at the South Pole her powers were amazing- when she realised she couldn't bend she seemed so... scared."

To this Kessa had no audible reply and Sokka's words drifted off in to the night. In her heart Kessa was without a doubt as to the answer- '_Justice'._

----------------------------------- _  
_

"The only thing you will find in that mountain is despair girl! Turn back now, the everseer is a being of the greatest evil."

"All those with power are called evil- it appears I've reached my destination."

_The inner __confines__ of the Blue Dragon are cold, hard and lifeless. The dark steel is so foreign, so different from the natural world, that even the strongest of __wills__c__ould __be broken __if __trapped within__ the deep hull__ for an extended amount of time__A prisoner can __at least__ be__ comfort__ed by the fact__ that they are detained without __choice,__ to someone bedridden __within__ the iron vessel there is nothing to comfort them- only the __nauseating __rocking of the sea below._

_General __Iroh's__ room __was the exception__. Filled__ with carpets, trinkets and __nic-__naks__ from around the world-__ once one step__ped__ inside it was nigh__ impossible to tell that you were __surrounded by__ steel. Sympathy had worked well for the old general, his sickness had allowed leniency from his nephew who had at first denied all but the closest of personal items._

Determination. Her whole body was riddled with its unmistakable taint. Unshakable, unchanging, cold. Below her was the wide expanse of towns, cities and nature- useless distractions. She tore her way up the mountain, climbing and clawing her way forward. The only thing that mattered was in front of her, the goal, the cave of the everseer. All that lay behind her was the past, weakness, and failure.

_Prince __Zuko__ knelt by the general's __bedside,__ his head bowed forward to better hear the uncharacteristically soft voice of his uncle. "__Katara__ is troubled- what she discovered in her old home goes beyond a simple family reunion. I'm afraid she has begun to question her destiny, and we both know how closely she relies on such things."_

_"What are you saying uncle? Why would her family cause her to doubt herself?"_

_"It is her twin, her sister. In order to comfort her at a young age I believed telling her of her destiny would give her __peace and reassurance__, instead I realised too late the importance she placed on it- the way it affected her."_

It had begun to storm, the dark threatening clouds that lay overhead finally unleashing their fury upon the mountainside. Katara pressed on, undeterred by the assailed dirt and rocks surrounding her, unworried by the increasingly unstable edges- the crumbling footholds.

_"She is supposed to be unique, the most powerful bender outside of the avatar- and she is supposed to be the sole bender of twins. Now that her sister is a __waterbender__ Katara__ believes that we made a mistake, found the wrong girl. You must be careful __Prince __Zuko__ her powers depend on spirit, on belief. You must allow her to see that she is strong because of __who__ she is, not because of what she is supposed to be."_

The cave entrance stood before her, Katara saw the opening and paused. She saw what was behind her without turning, her past beckoned to her- willing her to return to it- begging her to remember. After a moment Katara continued forward as if she had never paused, she had accepted the future, and rejected all that would hold her back.

_"Uncle... what if she is not the one from __the prophesy__." __Zuko's__ voice was neutral, but his face- unseen by his uncle had the slight betrayals of emotion- of hope._

_"Damn the prophecy __Zuko__, she is who she is. Nothing else should matter."_

-----------------------------------

Katara walked briskly towards the centre of a gigantic cavern. The cave was scattered with large stone pillars descending from the ceiling, each held glowing torches causing small patches of light within an overwhelming sea of darkness.

"Poor little water girl, all alone in the world. What is your purpose here?" The voice was sweet and low, the words were drawn out and without pause between words to give the impression of a melody. A woman seemed to float towards Katara, the woman's long greying hair wisped gently by a wind that appeared not to exist, her eyes were glazed and grey but she seemed to look directly at Katara- in to Katara.

"To seek knowledge." Katara kept her eyes fixed forward as the grey haired woman floated around her.

"She seeks questions to answers that are already known to her. The price of my words is a week from the life of a person you will never meet or know."

Katara dropped her eyes to the ground, but within a second she had her reply. "I accept the price."

At this the woman gave a comforting motherly smile. "What is it that you believe you want to know?"

"I want to know why I am losing my powers. I want to know how to get them back."

"Those will not give you the answer you need- the answer you know." The woman began to weave in and out from the many pillars surrounding the cave's centre.

"What question should I ask?"

"The one to which you already know the answer."

Katara began to let her frustration seep in to her tone. "How do I regain my power?"

"Power that is truly yours cannot be lost."

At this the waterbender decided to use a different tact. "I am Katara, blessed by destiny, the youngest master waterbender, and consort to the prince of the most powerful nation ever to be known- you will tell me what I need to know!"

"I only reveal that which is not already known, you will find no answers here."

"Give me the question." Katara barked the words leaving no room for argument.

The seer stopped gliding, twirling down to rest on the floor. "Very well- 'How does two become one?'" The seer used a tone as if speaking to a small irritable child who simply didn't know any better. It was the last straw for Katara as she truly lost her temper.

"I don't...that doesn't make sense!"

"Liar!" The seer suddenly leaped forward, stopping right before Katara's face. The seer's eyes had turned blood red. "She knows the answer- true and fine, refuses to accept."

Katara shrunk back, her words a low murmur as if the words were new and unsure- a verbal test. "It is my destiny to bring prosperity to my home. My destiny is selfless- honourable."

"To gain- others must lose. Power requires sacrifice. Balance. She wants half to be whole, but will not see what is needed. One must fall- must fade. Two to one by the hand of the other- as it is, as it always has been- again and again."

"No- that isn't true, that is not my destiny." Katara's voice was desperate and hoarse. The lights of the cave went out completely- the cavern plunged in to total darkness.

From the darkness the seer's voice came through clear and strong. It was almost as if the seer was inside Katara's head. "Perhaps not- it may be hers. How does two become one?"

The darkened cavern burst in to light quickly followed by crashing thunder. The walls of the cave were ripped and torn, dripping dark red- the scratches were made to spell out a single word- 'kill'. Over and over a thousand times, each new set of groves more vicious and bloody than the last.

The light faded and was replaced by the subdued flicker of distant lamps. The walls had reverted to their smooth earthy dreariness. The seer had vanished. Katara's eyes twitched slightly, her breathing remained erratic, and she ran towards the cave entrance as if trapped underwater- desperate for air.

Katara exited the cave, and saw her past laid before her- towns, cities, and family covered in the relentless mist of the ongoing storm. Around her the rain parted, leaving Katara dry and safe despite everything around her being ripped apart. She spoke with a resigned indifference, a weary acceptance.

"I have to kill my sister."

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

Have you not seen the poster?" The townsman asked yet again as if the eight-hundredth repetition would somehow persuade the boy that Kessa was in fact evil incarnate.

"Look- this is my sister. She did not burn down your village. You're thinking of her twin sister- she's kind of evil, but mostly misunderstood."

"She's a demon who breaths fire. I just look like her- really I'm quite nice when you get to know me." Kessa wore a warm grin that was supposed to convince the townspeople not to attach her to a cross and pelt her with stones.

"Are they still going on with this 'twin' nonsense?" The leader of the village began to lumber up to the chained siblings with Aang in tow behind him.

"Aang weren't you trying to talk the mayor out of this? What are you eating?" Sokka's questions were filled with a frustration born from sitting outside for hours with nothing but unending circular conversations with townspeople to pass the time.

The avatar poorly hid the food behind his back. "It's actually a bit harder to work these things out than I originally thought- being a great spiritual link togetherness guy actually needs a bit of work to get going."

"If the shedevil gave us the location of _the scarred destroyer_ then we may give her leniency for her crimes." The lofty voice of the tribes leader seemed to roll around the village.

"You mean Prince Zuko? The insane firebender guy?" Sokka added with a touch of indignation.

"Ah hah! You do know _the destroyer_, I knew you would crack sooner or later."

"I didn't actually say anything." Kessa was somewhat disappointed that her charms had so horribly failed in getting her off, she believed herself to be adorably innocent.

"The execution of the shedevil shall occur at dawn." The tribe's leader proudly proclaimed to the village, the visibly recovering villagers joined in a combined sheer.

"Next village I'm colouring my hair or something."

--

--

--

The coastal trading city of Hartako was burdened with an unfortunate lack of distinction. It was not the largest, the richest, the most dangerous or safest. The harbour was polluted but not overly so, the populous contained only a scattering of mildly talented smiths and artisans, and its history was littered with an array of uninteresting happenings hardly worth mentioning. The trade was varied but not extensive, the rarest items on offer were fairly commonplace in other easy to reach ports, and prices were neither luxuriant nor especially cheap.



When one got down to it the most unique thing about Hartako was its almost suspicious lack of uniqueness. Zuko identified with Hartako, both the city and the prince had lived an existence of under appreciation and hardship. New cities had come along and stolen what little attention the township had, and it had been abandoned through no fault of its own. The city was an underdog, a survivor- there were cities that have survived for longer, but likely none faced with such a degree of eternal indifference as the locale spread before him.

Prince Zuko had considered this among many other equally useless topics in a vain attempt to not obsess over Katara's return- and the myriad of problems a failure to return would cause. It of course depended on the circumstance- betrayal would require he hunt down his best friend without said friend by his side, death would require mourning too harsh for his heart to take, failure would likely result in a despair within his companion that would break his soul in to pieces, and lateness would force several unpleasant conversations about their upcoming enjoinment to actually be vocalised.

With his legs hung over the front of the Blue Dragon, mimicking the position both he and Katara had used many times before, Prince Zuko let out an audible sigh.

"The crew tells me you've been moping around and doing nothing the whole time I've been away."

The Prince's back straightened to present a dignified air he subconsciously believed himself to be lacking. "The men have always spun tales for your amusement, I'd be concerned if they had suddenly stopped doing so."

A soft smile spread across Katara's face. "I missed you too."

"You know what tomorrow is?" The words were official, informative and menacing without intended menace.

Katara took her usual place besides the prince. "It is _my_ birthday my Lord, one tends not to forget the chance for presents."

"Your sixteenth, the age of maturity. "

"I am aware of what you are referring to Prince Zuko." The girl's poise seemed to sag and stiffen simultaneously while purposefully avoiding both in equal measure.

"...And?"

"Everything shall go as planned; tomorrow we will be enjoined- as partners for life."

--

--

--

_Simpler Times_



Two figures stood facing each other across the square training ground and the entire world drops away. Red and black against black and red, yin against yang, a prodigy against a champion. Azula drops her stance- her arms falling to her side.

"Perhaps we should just agree to skip the staring down portion of our workouts."

Katara raised her shoulders and brings her arms forward in a fierce push, the water from the two pots behind her shot upwards and then forwards heading straight towards the firebender. Azula seamlessly sliped down in to a low bow stance almost touching the ground and uses the position to launch her body into the air, twirling over the watery projectiles. As she reached the highest point in her jump Azula launched several small blue firebolts that curve midair- scorching several locations that would have hit Katara had she tried to avoid them. Katara didn't flinch.

Katara and Azula each wore a similar smirk as the firebender landed gracefully and the waterbender commanded her weapons to circle back towards her opponent. As the princess easily sidesteped both streams she began to chase the floating whips of liquid- limiting the ability of Katara to return the projectiles while quickly approaching a proximity required for powerful close range firebending attacks- a slight panic passed over Katara's face.

As Azula leaped forward preparing her signature forward fireflip kick- Katara rolled forward just avoiding the fiery boot of her opponent. Katara steadied herself and began twirling- creating a powerful icy whirlwind. The move distracts Katara so that she isn't prepared for the lightning hurtling towards her.

--

Katara hated hospitals, she never figured out why. It's wasn't like she was a sickly child and she didn't lose anyone close to her in a hospital. Perhaps it was the strange colouring of the medical units in the Fire Nation, in a nation filled with nothing but red with seemingly unavoidable and unfortunate patches of green and blue- white rooms simply felt foreign and out of place.

In the three or so times Katara had woken up in a hospital she had always had the same thought "I want out, I want out, I want out". She couldn't imagine a life where she would have to live out each day wandering through these overly white halls, it was at times like these that she thanked Agni for allowing her a life of serving the royal family rather than being stuck on medical duty in one of these overly bright torture chambers.

"Well well- look who's finally awake."

"Azula this is your fault, that means you have to be nice to me- no taunting."

"It is unadvisable to take your eyes off your opponent unless you have a sufficient strategy for deflecting all possible attacks." Disappointment was clear in Azula's voice.



"I'll keep that in mind." Katara had learned long ago to ignore the words that Azula spoke, and to instead look at her actions. Actually waiting at her bedside was a big step for Azula, it meant that she was willing to look past momentary weakness.

"You're the only person I know that understands the need for self improvement, don't let me down now. I'm surrounded by people who strive to be better than others, how can you achieve perfection if your primary motivation is based on petty jealousy?"

"I love you too Azula." Katara and Azula both snorted, the princess slightly shaking her head.

"It was a weak charge, you'll be at practice by tomorrow." Azula started to walk away but stopped after a few steps. "Zuzu was worried about you."

Katara's tone turned bitter. "Of course he was- wouldn't want your future concubine damaged."

Azula's tone turned sympathetic, it was disconcerting coming from the princess. "I'm not exactly my brother's biggest fan but it wasn't his decision. Destinies and all."

"Sometimes I hate destiny." Katara turned her head towards the window, unconsciously trying to avoid the glaring white of the room's ceiling.

"Me too." It came out as a whisper but Katara heard it as clear as day.

--

--

--

The pair stood in the deep belly of the ship, surrounded by trinkets, knic-naks and flowing sheets of colour. A sickly old man, whose condition tore at their individual souls, lay before them- chuckling.

"Can we please just complete the ceremony?" The Fire Prince half growled. He stood awkwardly in full battle vestments. Traditional uniforms greatly lacked the efficiency that today's combat suits gave their wearers- they were also needlessly pointy.

"Always so impatient nephew. Life is not something to idly pass you by- life is the purpose for our being."

Zuko began to actually scowl. Katara just stood silently in her long white dress that spread out across the floor- trying to suppress a laugh.

"... Oh very well. Under Agni may these two be joined by duty and by honour until the end of days."

The Prince observed Katara out the corner of his eye, neither moved. Begrudgingly he took the initiatve and turned to his partner. Inclining his head the pair's lips met in a caste embrace before momentarily departing once again.



--

--

--

Later that night the Prince's steel floor was scattered with fabrics and armaments. The two lovers lay in a joined embrace, both weary from the consummation of their union. Both stared in to the eyes of the other- one saying sorry for wrongs past and one for wrongs yet to be inflicted.

"I love you- you know that right?"

"Of course you do, we are enjoined after all."

"No. I mean I love _you_. Always have really."

"I've loved you too."

"And regardless of what happens we should always trust that love."

"I know you don't think I know what that tone means, but I always end up in mortal danger whenever you use it. People tend to remember things like that."

--

--

--

The hull of the Blue Dragon was full of activity, the crew was busy trying to identify and repair the damage done throughout their arctic journey, Prince Zuko was busy staring down the individual crew members who he believed were being less productive than they should be, and Katara was sitting with her legs over the side missing, but refusing to acknowledge, that she longed for the cool chill of weeks past.

"_You are very valuable to the Fire Nation Katara."_

"_I am but a humble servant of the nation my Lord."_

_Katara on her knees alone in the middle of a gigantic room of polished black marble and gold. She stared up at a wall of flame, behind it sat Fire Lord Ozai- a faint outline behind the never ending fire. _

"_Indeed. But you have been touched by destiny, and as such- you have been raised far beyond what would otherwise be your station in life. While before you would have drifted through a meaningless existence in that barren wasteland from which you came- now you are a prominent figure in civilized society. Your continued prosperity is a topic of much talk throughout the kingdom. It would seem that many have taken to the opinion that the better you are treated the greater shall be the extent of the _

_eventual reward prophesised to be bestowed upon us. Nonsense of course- but let it not be said that I do not appease my subject's whims when it is of so little bother to do so."_

"_I doubt a soul would dare my Lord." Katara concentrated fully, keeping any hint of mirth or mockery from her voice. Fire Lord Ozai would kill anyone who hinted at dissent without a second thought- Fire Lord Ozai would enjoy killing anyone for whatever reason. _

"_I have discovered a solution that solves many problems at once. You shall be enjoined as a consort for my son, this shall both provide you with someone to take responsibility for you, and allow you to continue on as his personal attendant without your attention being split between multiple... partners."_

_Katara's face was blank, anger or outrage would end very badly for her- as would stalling. "I thank you my Lord for putting so much thought in to my problems and finding such an agreeable solution- however I pray that you first obtain the consent of Prince Zuko before finalising such an arrangement. While I would gladly accent to your wishes, I would not wish to burden a prince with a foreigner for a consort- against his personal wishes- such a union can be considered shameful to many." _

_The waterbender had learned long ago that the easiest way to deal with bias when backed by power was to agree and redirect._

"_Allay your worries Katara, the Prince has already been consulted on the matter. As for the mixed blood, you needn't worry- no child of such a union would be allowed to come to term. And as for prodigy well- it is not unusual for a royal heir to take on several consorts for the purposes of legacy."_

_It was during this speech that nearly all sources of water within a reasonable proximity to the palace began to defy gravity, as it only happened for a few seconds the very few people who noticed never bothered to tell anyone. No one even considered the young waterbender, after all she was nowhere in sight. _

_Despite Katara's beliefs- Fire Lord Ozai was fairly perceptive, he was well aware that the young waterbender had long despised him. He didn't really blame her. What would never be known to Katara was the fact that Ozai took a particular joy in tormenting her. Despite how restrained Katara believed she always held herself the air always felt thicker the madder she truly became- Ozai found it comforting like the thick morning air on an early summer's day._

"_I thank you again my Lord and ask that I may be excused."_

"_Of course- and Katara- I dearly hope that this day will live on in your memory forever."_

"_Of that I have no doubt my Lord." _

"Katara."

"What?" Katara snapped without thinking, but quickly corrected herself. "I mean- what is it Prince Zuko."

"Is something wrong?"



"You came over here to ask me if something was wrong?"

"No- we will be pulling in to Hatashu soon. We'll be splitting up in to three groups to search for the avatar- you're with me."

"Bags the rhino."

"You're riding with me."

"You royals never follow bagsies rules, talk about unfair."


End file.
